Just watched the last PAC-12 CAL-U$C Game. What should have been a famous victory leaving us with forever bragging rights was instead a calamitous collapse.
First, I have to give a shout out to the Players. They played their hearts out. They made lots of mistakes, but they came back every time instead of rolling over. I'm proud of and gutted for them at the same time. They deserved to win.
But they made so many mistakes that point straight at Coaching. The taunting penalty when we were driving gave them life and sucked it from us. I didn't think we'd recover from it. But they did. But the turnovers borne off not cradling the football properly were devastating.
Yet even then we persevered. And damn if we didn't come back and score and have a chance to win on a 2pt conversion. Regardless of outcome, I agreed with the decision to go for it. But where was our special play for that exact circumstance? We didn't have one. Just a straightforward drop back and hope someone ran open. Every Team has a one off 2pt play they practice to win a game. It's something the opposition will never have seen on tape. Except us.
For letting the Team down by not having them perfect the fundamentals and not having a can't miss 2pt Conversion play to win the game - Coach Wilcox has to go to put an end to the era of never being quite good enough. I hope we start life in the ACC with a clean coaching slate.
For those that were at the game it must have been amazing, probably the best atmosphere in years right up until the final moments.
Sorry, but you can't pin this one on the coaches. Offense rolled up 49 points despite giving up 4 turnovers. Yes, the defense gave up 50, but $c started multiple drives well into Cal territory, including from the 18 after Hunter's back breaking fumble. And for the first time all season, special teams were excellent.
I am a retired High School and College football coach and your comment on teaching how to "cradle" a football is taught from the very first day of JV football in high school and repeated by EVERY coach throughout a players football career. You ridiculously blamed the coaches for the fumbles. The trouble with Cal and Stanford is the fact they don't have the NIL money resources to recruit the top players in the portal and high school. Also, their academic standard are much high than most other colleges.
As for 5 Star success. Colorado’s not running the table. We are still being punished for Tedford’s APR. Yes, my guess is we could have players like Bear Alexander, if we made more academic exceptions.
That's one of the craziest f*cking football games I've ever been to. It also, along with the Auburn game (different though it was) epitomizes the experience of being a Cal football fan. What could have been a famous -- and oh so sweet -- victory turned into a classic woulda coulda shoulda. Really proud of the players for the way they battled. BTW, I really f*cking hate U$C.
Easy. SC. They gleefully screwed us and the rest of the conference. Furd had our backs the whole time. I'll still make fun of Furd's team and band and mascot and pretty much everything else about them, but I reserve my active dislike for SC.
Ya. Sad as it is, we actually owe a debt of gratitude to ‘Furd. Without them, Knowlton would have been successful in his efforts to scuttle the Cal Athletic Department.
Think how few schools solidly stuck by their rivals during realignment. A&M ditched Texas, OU screwed over OSU, Oregon and Washington sacrificed OSU and WSU for their own survival, and USC fucked over everyone else. Furd's only seen as modestly more desirable for sports than we are right now but they've been a model partner to us.
For a school full of potential dropouts that's really quite commendable.
No kidding! Has he EVER won a game by going for two? I would have taken my chances in overtime, especially with the way U$C's defense has played all year.
I would have taken it to OT but I figured a coach who isn’t on the hot seat and despite a terrible record not in any danger of being fired would go for it.
I was totally for going for two, but I expecting a very creative play on the final 2 pt conversion, not that. What was that? And that's the play you call after a very valuable timeout?? I
Yeah, I mean maybe you can say it's coaching, but a lot of those fumbles late in the game look like just rookie ass mistakes to me. The punt return in particular was back breaking.
What a glorious day at Memorial Stadium, and a terrific game. Just a shame that we lost. Almost rolled-on. I'm glad they went for the two at the end—man was that a mugging. Obvious call was not made.
Yes. All you negative so called football experts didn't see the obvious PI on the play. Endries was grabbed and held as he was making his cut because he'd beaten the cover guy on him.
On one hand I'm so pissed we lost because we HAD it. On the other hand, all I've asked of Cal through the years is to be competitive so that I have justification to ignore my wife and kids while watching the game... so while I REALLY wanted to win - I'll take games that come down to the wire. Really wish we'd had a better 2 point conversion play - I mean on the radio they were talking about Spavital having all kinds of clever plays in his playbook...was that one of them?
Was “processing” this fairly well. Quietly going thru my Saturday household tasks with soothing focus music. Then, out of no where I blurted out a “fu’’ing Wilcox!”
Cue all of the boring "Wilcox should be fired" takes that in typical fashion ignore all of the nuances of the game and coaching successes just to beat their endless refrain.
Shrug. Hard to get upset about this loss. Would have been nice to end the rivalry with a win, but at the end of the day they are going to the B10 on a full share and we are going to the ACC on a miniscule share. Oregon St and Wazzu have something to play for, we could go 3-9 or 9-3, it doesn't really matter, as we are locked into the ACC for a stupidly long contract on a partial share. This season was a write off the second we signed that deal.
What a glorious day at Memorial Stadium, and a terrific game. Just a shame that we lost. Almost rolled-on. I'm glad they went for the two at the end—man was that a mugging. Obvious call was not made.
Just watched the last PAC-12 CAL-U$C Game. What should have been a famous victory leaving us with forever bragging rights was instead a calamitous collapse.
First, I have to give a shout out to the Players. They played their hearts out. They made lots of mistakes, but they came back every time instead of rolling over. I'm proud of and gutted for them at the same time. They deserved to win.
But they made so many mistakes that point straight at Coaching. The taunting penalty when we were driving gave them life and sucked it from us. I didn't think we'd recover from it. But they did. But the turnovers borne off not cradling the football properly were devastating.
Yet even then we persevered. And damn if we didn't come back and score and have a chance to win on a 2pt conversion. Regardless of outcome, I agreed with the decision to go for it. But where was our special play for that exact circumstance? We didn't have one. Just a straightforward drop back and hope someone ran open. Every Team has a one off 2pt play they practice to win a game. It's something the opposition will never have seen on tape. Except us.
For letting the Team down by not having them perfect the fundamentals and not having a can't miss 2pt Conversion play to win the game - Coach Wilcox has to go to put an end to the era of never being quite good enough. I hope we start life in the ACC with a clean coaching slate.
For those that were at the game it must have been amazing, probably the best atmosphere in years right up until the final moments.
Don’t you remember? We used our 2 pt play earlier in the game and it was beautiful. We didnt have two of them tho.
Sorry, but you can't pin this one on the coaches. Offense rolled up 49 points despite giving up 4 turnovers. Yes, the defense gave up 50, but $c started multiple drives well into Cal territory, including from the 18 after Hunter's back breaking fumble. And for the first time all season, special teams were excellent.
I am a retired High School and College football coach and your comment on teaching how to "cradle" a football is taught from the very first day of JV football in high school and repeated by EVERY coach throughout a players football career. You ridiculously blamed the coaches for the fumbles. The trouble with Cal and Stanford is the fact they don't have the NIL money resources to recruit the top players in the portal and high school. Also, their academic standard are much high than most other colleges.
As for 5 Star success. Colorado’s not running the table. We are still being punished for Tedford’s APR. Yes, my guess is we could have players like Bear Alexander, if we made more academic exceptions.
That's one of the craziest f*cking football games I've ever been to. It also, along with the Auburn game (different though it was) epitomizes the experience of being a Cal football fan. What could have been a famous -- and oh so sweet -- victory turned into a classic woulda coulda shoulda. Really proud of the players for the way they battled. BTW, I really f*cking hate U$C.
Same - it's really hard to decide which "red" team to hate more... Standford or USC...
Easy. SC. They gleefully screwed us and the rest of the conference. Furd had our backs the whole time. I'll still make fun of Furd's team and band and mascot and pretty much everything else about them, but I reserve my active dislike for SC.
That is the easiest question ever. It’s usc. I respect the hell out of Stanford and appreciate them as a rival. I won’t comment on usc.
After the bs usc pulled to leave the Pac 12, it’s USC. That is undisputed.
Ya. Sad as it is, we actually owe a debt of gratitude to ‘Furd. Without them, Knowlton would have been successful in his efforts to scuttle the Cal Athletic Department.
Think how few schools solidly stuck by their rivals during realignment. A&M ditched Texas, OU screwed over OSU, Oregon and Washington sacrificed OSU and WSU for their own survival, and USC fucked over everyone else. Furd's only seen as modestly more desirable for sports than we are right now but they've been a model partner to us.
For a school full of potential dropouts that's really quite commendable.
That was a perfect Wilcox loss.
No kidding! Has he EVER won a game by going for two? I would have taken my chances in overtime, especially with the way U$C's defense has played all year.
Yeah I think we had one win. Can't remember which game
I would have taken it to OT but I figured a coach who isn’t on the hot seat and despite a terrible record not in any danger of being fired would go for it.
Absolutely
It’s a silly play with nearly a minute left.
I was totally for going for two, but I expecting a very creative play on the final 2 pt conversion, not that. What was that? And that's the play you call after a very valuable timeout?? I
This site also covers basketball, right?
I really hope we destroy some schools In basketball this year - I have a lot of pent up frustration from football.
We do indeed!
Gutted.
Yeah, I mean maybe you can say it's coaching, but a lot of those fumbles late in the game look like just rookie ass mistakes to me. The punt return in particular was back breaking.
Jeremiah Hunter has played way too much football to make a mistake like that
Exactly. That’s not a rookie guy making rookie mistakes.
What a glorious day at Memorial Stadium, and a terrific game. Just a shame that we lost. Almost rolled-on. I'm glad they went for the two at the end—man was that a mugging. Obvious call was not made.
Yes. All you negative so called football experts didn't see the obvious PI on the play. Endries was grabbed and held as he was making his cut because he'd beaten the cover guy on him.
On one hand I'm so pissed we lost because we HAD it. On the other hand, all I've asked of Cal through the years is to be competitive so that I have justification to ignore my wife and kids while watching the game... so while I REALLY wanted to win - I'll take games that come down to the wire. Really wish we'd had a better 2 point conversion play - I mean on the radio they were talking about Spavital having all kinds of clever plays in his playbook...was that one of them?
Lots to unpack there, my friend.
Was “processing” this fairly well. Quietly going thru my Saturday household tasks with soothing focus music. Then, out of no where I blurted out a “fu’’ing Wilcox!”
Cue all of the boring "Wilcox should be fired" takes that in typical fashion ignore all of the nuances of the game and coaching successes just to beat their endless refrain.
Well, he should be fired. He won’t be, but he should be.
Boring! Post about it five more times and maybe it will happen sooner!
Nothing is more boring at this point than celebrating moral victories
He's got truth as his defense.
Why in gods earth did Wilcox call a timeout on the 2 point conversion? Save it to give yourself a chance if it fails!
Yes.
Kick the XP once you have to burn it.
If it fails, you don't get a second chance. Where did you get that idea.
It’s pretty clear we’re stuck with Wilcox next year but for the love of Oski Sirmon must be terminated.
Of course Wilcox will be back. Dude doesn’t win and churns through coordinators left and right, yet gets a guaranteed extension.
Swear he’s got pictures of Knowlton back at a West Point party, wearing nipple-clamps while bagging Captain Kangaroo.
Shrug. Hard to get upset about this loss. Would have been nice to end the rivalry with a win, but at the end of the day they are going to the B10 on a full share and we are going to the ACC on a miniscule share. Oregon St and Wazzu have something to play for, we could go 3-9 or 9-3, it doesn't really matter, as we are locked into the ACC for a stupidly long contract on a partial share. This season was a write off the second we signed that deal.
I’ll be fit to be tied if furd and T. Taylor lap us by next season.
They will. Furs is improving weekly.
What a glorious day at Memorial Stadium, and a terrific game. Just a shame that we lost. Almost rolled-on. I'm glad they went for the two at the end—man was that a mugging. Obvious call was not made.